Despite posting a .526 batting average this spring, outfielder Yasiel Puig was sent to Double-A Chattanooga on Tuesday. MARK DUNCAN, AP

AT A GLANCE

THE GAME: The Dodgers lost to the Colorado Rockies, 7-6, Tuesday night. The Dodgers are 11-18-3 with one more game on their Cactus League schedule.

PITCHING REPORT: RHP Aaron Harang walked the first three batters he faced then gave up a grand slam to Michael Cuddyer. Harang allowed just one more run on three hits and a walk over his 51/3innings.

HITTING REPORT: Andre Ethier had a triple in his only at-bat but left the game after that second-inning at-bat because of tightness in his right hamstring. Ethier will not play in Arizona on Wednesday but is expected to play Thursday either in Anaheim or Rancho Cucamonga. ..Tim Federowicz hit a three-run HR.

DEFENSE REPORT: Carl Crawford dropped Eric Young Jr.'s fly ball to deep left field in the second inning.

The Dodgers decided spring sensation Yasiel Puig is not ready for prime time quite yet. The 22-year-old Cuban outfielder was optioned to Double-A Chattanooga on Tuesday despite a .526 spring average that ranks first in the majors (Cactus or Grapefruit League).

Shortstop Dee Gordon was also optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, trimming the Dodgers' roster to 36 one day before they will break camp in Arizona.

"I told him he had a great camp. I told him he didn't do anything wrong," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "It's organizationally what we think is best for him now and for the long term. We think this guy's got a chance to be a really, really good player. He's done nothing wrong in camp but there are areas that need improving."

Mattingly compared Puig to a Ferrari that just needs some final detailing.

"The motor's there. The wheels are there. The body's there," he said. "Everything's there. They just haven't painted it yet. You leave it out in the sun without any paint and it's going to get exposed."

Puig's longshot chances of making the Dodgers' season-opening roster hinged on Carl Crawford's recovery from Tommy John surgery.

Crawford made his debut on defense Saturday and has played left field every day since, allaying concerns that he might not be ready when the Dodgers open Monday against the San Francisco Giants.

Signed to a seven-year, $42 million deal last summer after defecting from Cuba, Puig has fewer than 175 plate appearances as a professional at the Rookie or Class-A level and winter ball in Puerto Rico (considered comparable to Class-A). But he drew comparisons to Bo Jackson this spring for his NFL-caliber physique and combination of speed and power. Trying to temper the enthusiasm and hype generated by Puig's breakout spring, Mattingly repeatedly emphasized how "raw" he was compared to major league readiness.

"You really want this guy as ready as totally possible when he walks in the door at Dodger Stadium," Mattingly said Tuesday. "You don't want him to ever have to go back down. It's not like we're sending him to Siberia either. You're really a phone call away at any moment. ... It's not like we're sending him somewhere we can't find him."

Puig has created a pleasant dilemma for the Dodgers, though, by demonstrating he is much closer than they realized. They have $335.5 million committed to veteran outfielders Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Crawford, with each signed through at least 2017 (Kemp is signed through 2018).

Meanwhile, Gordon ran into his own road block. When Hanley Ramirez suffered a thumb injury in the World Baseball Classic final that will keep him out for eight weeks, the Dodgers quickly decided to move Luis Cruz from third base to replace Ramirez at shortstop rather than plug Gordon in there. Tuesday's demotion to Triple-A confirmed that decision.

"We felt like Dee needed to be in Triple-A playing every day, continuing to develop," Mattingly said. "We felt like we rushed Dee last year, probably hurt him a little bit. That being said, he's had a great camp this year. He's got a great attitude.

"He's another guy like Puig – when he comes up, we'd really like him to be able to stay"

BILLINGSLEY DELAYED

Right-hander Chad Billingsley will stay in Arizona after the Dodgers break camp Wednesday and left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu will make his major-league debut in the second game of the season Tuesday against the Giants.

The two had been on the same throwing schedule for most of the spring with Billingsley expected to make that Tuesday start. But he was unable to throw curveballs for nearly two weeks after bruising his right index finger during a bunting drillBillingsley threw curveballs during a bullpen session Monday and will make his second consecutive start in a minor league camp game Friday. By pitching him in a minor league game, the Dodgers can place Billingsley on the DL to start the season and back-date the move to March 22. He would then be eligible to start after April 5.

The Dodgers' rotation is now set with Clayton Kershaw, Ryu and Josh Beckett lined up for the season-opening series. After an off day, right-hander Zack Greinke is set to start April 5 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The rotation after that becomes fluid with Kershaw on regular rest a possibility for the second game against the Pirates or Billingsley making his season debut. With another off day April 8, the order of the Dodgers' five starters might not be set for a while.

Mattingly said he has started to have conversations with the Dodgers' surplus starters (veterans Aaron Harang, Ted Lilly and Chris Capuano) about possibly moving to the bullpen. But for now, all three are still being stretched out as starters because "anything can happen," Mattingly said.

ELBERT ELBOW

Left-hander Scott Elbert returned from Los Angeles where he received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection in his elbow Monday. Elbert has had two surgeries on the elbow since last August and was feeling pain as he increased his throwing beyond 60 feet recently.

"It was still a little painful – though not the same pain as before the surgery," Elbert said. "Basically it was a precautionary thing – it can't hurt me."

By the time Elbert eases back into his throwing program this week he will have been shut down for 12 days. The early optimistic projection was that he could return to game action some time in May following the most recent surgery in January. It now looks like that will be pushed back.

Elbert will almost certainly start the season on the Dodgers' 60-day DL.

NOTES

The Dodgers had their annual meeting with the MLB Players Association, including executive director Michael Weiner on Tuesday. MLBPA officials meet with every team during spring training. ... Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp has filmed a "Word of the Day" segment for an upcoming episode of "Sesame Street." Kemp's appearance will be part of Thursday's episode. He and muppet Abby will discuss the meaning of the word "attach."

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